QUILT INDEX RECORD

15-11-988

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Wisconsin Quilt History Project

Who documented this quilt?

Wisconsin Quilt History Project

Wisconsin Quilt History Project Number:

136

Person filling out this form is:

Blood relative of quiltmaker; Quilt owner; Other

Source of the information on this quilt:

Great- granddaughter of quilt maker

When was the form filled out?

10-15-1988

Choose the best description of the source to the quilt:

Quilt owner

If you are the quilt owner, how did you acquire this quilt?

Received as a gift

Interviewer:

Mac Quee, N.

Where was the quilt documentation day held?

Cedarburg Cultural Center

This is a:

Finished quilt

Owner's name for quilt:

Nursery Rhymes

Names for quilt's pattern in common use:

Nursery Rhyme Applique Quilt

How wide is the quilt?

37 in.

How long is the quilt?

54 in.

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Blue or Navy; Brown; Green; Pink; Red; White; Yellow

Overall color scheme:

Multicolor

Quilt's condition:

Fair/worn

Damage:

Fading

Type of inscription:

Other

Describe the type of inscription:

Nursery rhyme character names and rhymes.

What is inscribed on the quilt?

LITTLE BOY BLUE CURLYLOCKS TOMMY TUCKER ROCK-A-BYE BABY TO MARKET-TO MARKET RAIN RAIN-GO AWAY

Method used to make the inscription:

Embroidery

Location of inscription:

other

Describe where the inscription was found:

On front underneath nursery rhyme characters

Time period:

1930-1949

When was the quilt started?

1940

When was the quilt finished?

1941

Family/owner's date for quilt:

1941

Further information concerning dates:

Mrs. Aaron was 78-80 years of age when she made the quilt.

Describe the quilt's layout:

Wholecloth

Number of borders:

1

Describe the borders:

Quilt has a single, light blue solid/plain outer border.

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Fabric types used to make the quilt top:

Broadcloth

Fabric styles used in the quilt top:

Dotted; Print; Solid/plain

Applique techniques used to make the quilt top:

Blanket, buttonhole, or other decorative applique stitch; Hand Applique

Embellishment techniques used to make the quilt top:

Embroidery

Embellishments used:

Cotton thread

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

What color is the back of the quilt?

White

Describe the back:

Same fabric used throughout; Solid/plain

How is the binding made?

Edges turned in/ no separate binding; Straight grain

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

No filling

How are the layers held together?

Hand quilting

Describe the quilting designs used:

Stitches are large size and uneven.

Features or notes about the quilt's appearance, materials, or construction:

A whole cloth quilt with appliqued nursery rhyme characters. Nursery character names and rhymes are hand embroidered using the stem stitch. The applique patches are hand stitched around the edges with the buttonhole stitch. French knots and straight stitches were used for facial and floral details.

Quilt top made by:

Aaron, Emily Dobratz

Quilted by:

Aaron, Emily Dobratz

Where the quilt was made, city:

Milwaukee

Where the quilt was made, county:

Milwaukee

Where the quilt was made, state:

Wisconsin (WI)

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

How was this quilt acquired?

Gift

Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:

Quilt was a gift from the great-grandmother (Mrs. Aaron) to the owner (great-granddaughter).

Describe anything about the history of the quilt that wasn't already recorded in a previous field:

The owner's children and nieces and nephews used the quilt.

Why was the quilt made?

Baby or crib

The quilt was made to be used for:

Bedding, daily use

Quilt is presently used as:

Keepsake/memento

Where did the maker get their materials?

Other

Where did the maker find their pattern?

Commercial/Published source: Kit

Where did the quiltmaker find the pattern for the quilting design on the quilt?

Kit

Describe anything about the design of the quilt that wasn't already recorded in a previous field:

May have gotten materials from her husband (Louis Aaron) or her son-in-law (Maurice Van Engel). Mr. Aaron eventually managed a dry goods store and Mr. Van Engel was a salesman of general merchandise.

Ownership of this quilt is:

Private

Quiltmaker's maiden name:

Dobratz

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's birth date:

1861

Quiltmaker's birthplace, country:

Germany

Quiltmaker's marriage date(s):

08-04-1883; Milwaukee/Milwaukee County, Wisconsin

Quiltmaker's ethnic background/tribal affiliation:

German

In which kind of environment did the quiltmaker live?

Urban

Quiltmaker's county:

Milwaukee

Quiltmaker's city:

Wauwatosa

Quiltmaker's state:

Wisconsin (WI)

Quiltmaker's country:

United States

Quiltmaker's father's name:

Dobratz, John

Quiltmaker's father's ethnic/tribal background:

German

Quiltmaker's mother's name:

Dobratz, Ema

Quiltmaker's mother's ethnic/tribal background:

German

Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and /or partner's/partners' name(s):

Aaron, Louis

Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and/or partner's/partners' ethnic/tribal background:

German

Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and/or partner's/partners' occupation:

Retail merchant who eventually managed a dry goods store.

Number of children:

4

How many of the quiltmaker's children were girls?

3

How many of the quiltmaker's children were boys?

1

Any other notes or stories about the quiltmaker:

On her 90th birthday she gathered all of the women in the family and divided up her jewelry. The family always played the card game Hearts at her birthday parties. Mrs. Aaron emigrated from Germany to America in 1871. In 1883 she married her husband, Louis, who also was came from Germany. Together they raised 4 children. He died in 1922. She lived in Wauwatosa for a while as a widow. The 1930 census shows she eventually moved in with her daughter, Frieda Van Engel and her son-in-law, Maurice Van Engel. They lived in Milwaukee on N. 37th St. She lived to at least 96 years of age. Her daughter Freida died in Milwaukee in 1973. Additional information on Mrs. Aaron and her family was found on Ancestry.com and other online genealogy sites. Mrs. Aaron has other quilts documented in the Quilt Index under her name at #137, #138, #139, #140, #141 and #142.

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Copyright holder:

Wisconsin Museum of Quilts & Fiber Arts

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